The Truth about Itachi
by wiccalaura
Summary: Sakura finds the whole truth about the Uchiha clan slaugther and Konoha's sins, now she tries to fix it, but can she get out of it unharmed? Can she become the one she was in the past? Can she resist to the red eyes this time?
1. Chapter 1

The blond guy walked through the gates with a wide smile, his sky-blue eyes scanning the village before him with a pleased glow.

First of all! Tsunade-oba-san!- He shouted cheerfully before starting to run towards the hokage mansion.

Tsunade-sama! Bet who's back?- Shouted a happy Shizune bursting in the hokage's office.

Before the older woman could give an answer an orange_ thing_ jumped through the window right on top of her desk.

Naruto!- Screamed the godaime slightly annoyed, but she forgot her rage as soon as she saw the bright smile he had on.- Oh… Welcome back.

It's soooooo good to be back! Now I can use the amazing powers that I got in the missions and then I'll become the hokage in no time! Come on oba-chan, give me a A-rank mission!- Shouted the cheerful guy that was still standing in her desk.

I'm giving you no mission until I test your new abilities, thus you just came back, you should enjoy the village for a while, you must be missing your frien…

Before the Godaime could finish her sentence four Anbu black ops popped up in the office, surely returning from a mission and ready to report to Tsunade. For an instant the four of them just stared to the scene before them, and suddenly three tossed away their masks and smiled towards Naruto.

Kakashi-sensei! Neji! Shikamaru!- Shouted the blonde jumping from the desk to his friends side.

Yo! Naruto!- Greeted Kakashi with a blink-eyed smile.

Long time no see… Naruto…- Said Neji nodding to him.

Hey Naruto! You really took a long time I was starting to think you wasn't getting back…- Said Shikamaru.

You're crazy? I had to come back! I need to bring Sasuke back! And become Hokage!- Said the blond with a even wider grin.

The fourth Anbu stepped forwards, right in front of the godaime.

So? How was the mission?- Asked Tsunade.

It was successful, no casualties, we brought back all the information we found there.- Informed the ANBU giving some scrolls to the hokage.

Naruto eyed the other shinnobi with wide eyes, it was obviously a girl, a girl with very nice curves actually, the blond couldn't help but blush looking at her big sized breasts, it was difficult not to notice them. But what amazed him was that she was obviously the team's captain, and that means she was a stronger shinnobi than Kakashi, Neji and Shikamaru, and he really couldn't think of no one that good, but still her voice seemed very familiar to him…

After finishing her report the ANBU girl turned to Naruto, the boy gulped looking to the cat like mask she was wearing. Slowly she took off the mask and loosed her hair, revealing beautiful green eyes and pink locks that went to her hips.

Welcome back Naruto!- Sakura gave him a small smile. Not one like those he was used to see in her face when they were younger, this was more mature and a lot more sad, but it made her look even more beautiful.

He just stared at her in awe, his mouth agape, unable to say anything.

Oi! Naruto! Snap out of it!- Smirked Shikamaru giving him a pat on the back.

The blond blinked, and his smile came back to his mouth.

Sakura-chan! You're an ANBU now! You're even a captain! It's so cool Sakura-chan.- Shouted the guy.

You must have pretty good news too… Let's eat something and gather the whole gang to hear about you journey.- Said Kakashi.

Oz! Let's to Ichiraku! I want Ramen!

Before someone could stop him the random boy just jumped through the window. Chuckling, the other four followed him, leaving an amused Hokage behind.

--

Ah! Sakura-chan is amazing! I can't believe you really beat Kakashi-sensei! You're his captain now! Truly amazing, but I bet you can't beat me! Hehe!- Said Naruto, while he prepared to eat his third bow of ramen.

Ehhh. What a cocky attitude! You better not to pick up a fight with Sakura, she's the top elite ninja from Konoha now, you'd become jelly!- Smirked Kiba, that was approaching the group along with his teammates.

Yo! Kiba! Shino! Hinata!- Greeted a full mouthed Naruto.

Welcome back Naruto-kun.- Said a blushing Hinata.

It's a long time Naruto…- Greeted Shino, with his quiet voice.

Come on! Tell us more about your journey! I'm sure it was filled with youth!- Said Lee doing his nice guy pose.

Stop this stupid thing Lee!- Spat an annoyed Tenten giving him a tap on the head.

Everyone burst laughing at this. Naruto felt really happy to be around his old friends, but he didn't fail to notice that they all have changed a bit, but were still the same guys as before, except for Sakura, that girl didn't resembled her old self at all. She looked like a real adult now, and acted as a totally different person, always quiet, never smiled, completely apart from everyone else, and all of his friends acted respectfully and almost cautiously towards her… Even Ino had stopped to call her forehead girl, and minded her mouth as much as she could while talking to her… It surely wasn't as it was like when they were younger, and he was starting to miss the old Sakura.

Sakura looked at the sky, "it's almost the time… I'm not sure if I should go but, that woman may have something really important to show me…" she thought gazing at the hokage's faces mountain.

**Flashback**

Sakura were sitting at the hokage's mountain and staring at the sky, it was a full moon night, and the whole village were silent, it felt really good to be there alone, just admiring the nature, she would be off in a mission as soon as the dawn came, and wouldn't have any moment to be alone until she got back, and the thing Sakura loved most were her solitude, she enjoyed to be only with herself.

An old woman came walking towards her, the pink-haired kunnoichi noticed her coming but didn't acknowledged her presence, she wasn't in the mood for small talk.

Oh… Another one who loves the moon… Some years ago, another person used to sit there to watch the moon, he had black eyes when he did that.- Said the old woman as if talking to her self.- He had beautiful eyes.

Sakura wasn't sure if the old woman was talking to her or not, but she looked at the elder the same way. She was surprised by the speed that the woman moved, but in no time the old lady was kneeling right before her grabbing her chin and looking intently at her eyes.

You have beautiful eyes too… Eyes that can see a lot of things… I think you'd see it… Yes… You can see more than he can… Even when his eyes are red…- Said the woman, still to no one in special.

Sakura's eyes widened in surprise, the person this woman were talking about were a Uchiha for sure, black eyes that can turn red…

Who are you talking about? What I can see?- She asked, her voice emotionless.

Oh… And you have a beautiful voice too… You're really a beautiful woman, yes… I think I should show you, you're just like him… You're the right person…

Right person for what?- Asked a still unemotional Sakura.

To know the truth… At this same hour, four days from here, come to the ANBU library, I have something to show you… Something that he wanted no one to know, but I think you're the right person…- Said the old woman, before disappearing in a puff of smoke, letting a very puzzled Sakura behind.

**End of the Flashback**

Sakura looked up at the sky wondering if she should go… The woman seemed to be crazy, but it was true that she made a reference to an Uchiha… Maybe she had something important to say, something that could help to bring Sasuke back… Making up her mind the pink haired kunnoichi stood up, blue eyes looked up at her in a questioning way.

I'm sorry Naruto… I have some unfinished business to tend to… See you later.- She said in a blank voice, and disappeared in a blur of Sakura blossoms.

She appeared inside the ANBU headquarters, right in front of a heavy wooden door that led to the top secret archive, were all the ANBU missions reports were stored in. Very few people could go in there, but Sakura was one of those people, as the Godaime pupil and the top elite ninja she had complete access to the archives, but she doubted that the old woman could enter that room…

She opened the heavy doors and stepped inside the room closing the doors behind her. To the kunnoichi surprise the old lady was already there, her brown eyes wondering aimlessly towards the scrolls that filled the shelves all around the walls going on and on forming a labyrinth like library.

You came… I knew you'd came… Come child, I'll show you now.- Said the old woman not looking at the younger one.

The old woman started to walk through a long corridor, Sakura followed her silently, she really wanted to ask why the hell that woman wanted to show something to _her, _of all the people, and who's the uchiha guy she kept talking about the first time they've met. But she decided to keep quiet, whatever that woman wanted to show she would see in the right moment, she had learned to be patient with her ANBU train.

Suddenly the woman stopped, right in front an empty shelf, Sakura sighed, it seemed like the woman really hadn't anything to show her. But the old lady just started to make strange hand seals, and with a purple chakra glowing in her right hand she touched the empty shelf with her tip fingers. Sakura couldn't help but gasp, when a door opened right before her eyes revealing a small room also filled with scrolls.

What's that room?- Asked Sakura in a tiny voice, she never heard of a hidden room in the ANBU archive… And she was pretty sure Tsunade hasn't either.

Here's where they keep all the story that never happened. All the real story.- Answered the woman quietly.- Go on, what you must see is there inside.

What is it?- Asked Sakura.

You have good eyes. You'll know when you see it, and if you don't it's because you shouldn't see.- Said the woman with a wicked smile before disappear in a blur of smoke.

The pink haired kunnoichi entered the mysterious room. Her green eyes wondered from scroll to scroll, nothing catching her attention, until she saw a symbol that made her gasp. The sharingan symbol. With shaking hands she got the black scroll with the sharingan mark in red.

She sat on the ground and opened the scroll. It was the uchiha clan story, all of the story. The story that was said to be lost…

It started with Uchiha Madara story… The foundation of Konoha, the eternal war between the uchiha clan and the Senju clan (the first hokage clan), the last battle between Madara and the first, and the peace treaty between the two clans after Madara got killed. And then the decline of the Uchiha clan, the constant suspicion of the elders…

And finally the kyuubi attack, most of the village, including the Third thought it was a natural disaster, but the ancients had another idea, it was true that the Uchiha desired the Kokage's chair a long time ago… And the Uchiha chakra was the only one that could control those demons, the black ops were designed to watch the Uchiha clan, to discover if it was true, and what they were planning next.

Sakura gasped at what she readied next…

The spy that Danzo designed was Uchiha Itachi, he had to spy his own clan at the village's orders, and he did, he was loyal to Konoha…

Itachi learned that the kyuubi had been summoned by the Uchiha leader… By his own father…

His father told him about a new plan to overdo Konoha and asked him to become their spy on the village, Itachi informed the village about it, the Third wanted to talk with the Uchiha leader, make the peace, but the elders disagreed, and Danzou gave Itachi the most unfair mission ever…

Tears started to fall down Sakura's cheeks…

Itachi was ordered to kill his entire clan, to eliminate all the Uchiha and leave the village as a nuke-nin, he was a sacrifice… Konoha gave to it's best shinnobi a mission that would cost him his family, friends and his own life…

And he fulfilled it, he got rid of all of his emotions, and accomplished the mission he was given, he killed all of his clan as he was ordered, and left the village, just like he was told to… There were only one thing he couldn't accomplish, one order he couldn't fulfill…

Sasuke…

The only thing Itachi couldn't do was kill his young brother…

Sakura sobbed, she wasn't sure to why she cried, if for the awful fate of the Uchiha clan, or if for the horrible task Itachi had to fulfill, or for Sasuke that had thrown his life away to accomplish a revenge against someone that was really protecting him… Maybe she cried for all of it… But most of all, she cried for shame, shame of Konoha…

She never thought she'd ever feel that bad for being a kunnoichi from Konoha, she never thought she would hate so much been a shinnobi… No matter how much of tools they were, what Konoha had done to Itachi and his life wasn't fair…

She inhaled deeply, wiped her tears and got to her feet, grasping tightly the black scroll, she was sure that Tsunade didn't know about that story, and wasn't sure about what the godaime would do when she learned about it, but Sakura was sure that she had to do something about it…

It wasn't right that a Konoha's shinnobi stayed away of his own village as a criminal when he had done nothing but his duty, and that Sasuke stayed seeking for a meaningless revenge without know the truth… She wasn't sure about what she could actually do, but she'd do whatever it takes to fix all this mess, she would hate Konoha forever otherwise…

--

Tsunade looked up in surprise when her pupil burst in her office with a pained face, and tear marks along her cheeks, the last time she had saw the pink-haired kunnoichi like that were some years ago when she asked to learn medical ninjutsu.

Sakura…- Started the blond with a worried face.

Read it Tsunade!- Said Sakura harshly giving the godaime a black scroll with the sharingan symbol in red.

What's that?- Asked a puzzled Tsunade.

The Uchiha's clan story… The true story, the story that the elders hided from everyone, ant that'd disappear if I haven't find this…

Where did you find it?

In a secret room at the Anbu's archive… An old woman showed it to me… Read it Tsunade-sama…- Sakura's voice were solemn, but she had turned back to her emotionless self.

The godaime sighed, those old hags only give her trouble… She wondered how much about her own village story they had hidden from her… And if she would ever find out if it wasn't for Sakura.

The pink-haired kunnoichi waited while the hokage readied the scroll. Tsunade's face was sad and confused when she looked up at her pupil again…

If this is true…- Started the godaime.

It is true…- Granted Sakura, she didn't knew why but she _knew _that every single word in that scroll were true.

Konoha made an awful mistake… I… I wouldn't be a hokage if I don't try to fix it…Uchiha Itachi did everything in Konoha's orders, and as such… He is our shinnobi.- The blond stood up, walked toward the window and looked at the village.- I don't know what to do…

Bring him back… Send him an ANBU squad and offer apologies, ask him to come back, nothing can undo what had been done but… You can offer him some kind of compensation… I don't know… But it's just not right leave it as it is now.- Said Sakura.

Yes… You're right, but there's the Akatsuki…- Alleged Tsunade.

The two women stayed silent for a long moment, it was true that now Itachi was the Akatsuki leader… And that this organization had committed criminal actions, and also they have been searching for the kyuubi…

Maybe I can offer them alliance… I doubt that Itachi would agree to come back as a Konoha shinnobi after all this, but maybe he will accept to turn Akatsuki into a legal organization… Their security and action range would increase greatly with the fire country support, and also they would gain the status of legal shinnobi… The only thing they'd had to do is give up on the kyuubi…- Said a thoughtful hokage.

It's risky, but Konoha own this sacrifice to the Uchiha's…- Stated Sakura.

The godaime turned around and eyed her pupil.

It's decided then… The elders won't like it, but I won't get back on my decision… The best thing to do is to send someone to search for Itachi right now, I'd talked to the ancients by the time he get here, if he agree with the treaty… But, I can trust in only one person to do it, Sakura, you will be going… It will be a S-rank mission, and you'll have to go alone… I don't want to put your life in risk, and the decision is yours…

I know all the risks Shishou… And I have decided already, I'll take this mission…- Said Sakura with an unemotional voice and her blank expression.

Tsunade smiled, Sakura had turned into a very capable shinnobi, the best, the must trustful, and was the best medic she had ever seen… Far better than herself… She was very proud of her pupil…

Fine… I'll write down the treaty, Itachi won't believe only in your word, if he'll believe in us at all…- The godaime sited at her desk and started to write, while Sakura waited patiently.

After some time, the hokage raised her head again giving a scroll to the waiting kunnoichi.

You should leave immediately, no one must know to where you're going… There are some secure information that a shark man had been lurking around the stone country… It's most likely Hoshigake Kisame, Itachi's partner, you should start there…- Hazel eyes looked deeply into the green ones.- Be careful Sakura…

The pink haired kunnoichi simply nodded, and disappeared in a blur of Sakura blossoms. She popped up in her apartment to gather her weapons, her ANBU uniform and mask. The dawn was near when a cat-masked ANBU left the leaf village.

--

Oi! Tsunade-oba-chan! Where's Sakura? I've been looking for her during the whole day!- Shouted an annoyed Naruto that just jumped inside the hokage's office.

Tsunade barely heard the boy, she had passed the entire day thinking about all the things she learned the night before, and worrying about the meeting she'd have with the elders at the sunset…

Hush Naruto! I'm busy! Sakura's on a mission, she won't be back for a while…- Spat the godaime.

What? You've sent her in a mission alone? What if she get hurt or…

She's a shinnobi! A very good one! Stop your mumbling! She'll be fine, and you'll get a mission soon, now get out!- Shouted an angry Tsunade, making a shooing move with her hands.

The boy ran out saying something about train with Lee, and the Hokage got back to her thoughts.

--

Sakura rushed through the forest towards the east border of the country where she'd get at the Stone country, she hadn't stopped during the whole day, and moved in a absurd speed, but wasn't tired, she was ready to travel during the rest of the afternoon and the whole night until she reach a big village in the stone country, where she was sure she'd get some information about any Akatsuki activities in the zone.

Her mind traveled between the two still living Uchihas, she had never thought that she'd be in a journey to find Itachi instead of Sasuke… It was true that she had moved away from her old crush on him, but Sasuke was still a part of team seven, a very important piece of her life, and she wanted him to come back…

And now that she searched for his brother she had the full conscience that he'd probably hate Konoha when he heard about the treaty with the Akatsuki, and even when he learned the truth about his past, if he ever learned, he'd still hate his brother and hate even more Konoha… He'd end up as a complete enemy, and…

Sakura frowned just to think of it… Maybe that'll be a time when she had to fight Sasuke for real… If she fulfilled this mission, she could end up killing one of her best friends in order to fix a Konoha's mistake… And yet, as much as she neared the stone country, much she felt it was the right thing to do, even if it turn Sasuke against them, she had to do it if she wanted to be proud of her village again… And maybe… maybe Sasuke would understand, maybe he'd give up on his revenge once he learned the truth…

Sakura knew it would most likely never happen, but she wished that everything could get back to normality, that the both uchiha brothers could come back and have a normal life, that Konoha repair at least a small part of the pain it had caused to both of them… And if it wasn't possible…

Well, the one who were truly harmed by Konoha, the one who was loyal to the very end was Itachi, Sasuke, had been spared, he suffered, but he should had been killed by the elders wishes, and even if he had received indulgence from the village, he had turn against them… Sakura knew it was sad, but she knew that there would be no mercy to him, he had freely left the village, and as it was, he was the true traitor…

But there was still hope… Naruto… He would never give up on Sasuke… Maybe she and Naruto could bring him back… Maybe…

The pink haired kunnoichi crossed the border, and become more alert, the stone village wasn't an ally from Konoha, she'd have to fight any of their shinnobi if she get caught… And the last thing she needed was to drain attention to her presence there with a fight. The night have already come, and it was easy to move on the shadows, as silent as a panther during a hunt… Her speed increased, there were a great distance until the village she wanted to go, and she wanted to get there before the dawn.


	2. Chapter 2

-1The blond guy sited on the ground sighing.

It has been more than a week already! I've made three missions! Three silly missions and Sakura-chan isn't back from hers yet! And Tsunade-oba-san is always in that meetings with the elders… It's boring!- Said him in a frustrated tone.

Sakura-chan is an ANBU now, her missions always take a longer time… And about the meetings… I think that something big is happening here…- Said Lee, kicking a training post like a crazy.

Humph… What could be that big to everyone be so worked up? I really don't get it! And no one tells me anything!- Naruto said with another frustrated growl.

Only the elite ninja know about it I guess… Gai-sensei hasn't told me anything either…- Said Lee stopping the kick thing and doing some hand seals to make a earth jutsu, making the post be dragged by the ground.

Hey, fuzzy brows, since when you can do ninjutsu?- Asked a puzzled Naruto.

Oh! Sakura-chan discovered that I couldn't drain chakra because my chakra veins were all blocked, and then she fixed it for me… I can't use it very well, but I'm working hard, and I'll be capable to become a jounin in only six months!- Said lee with his nice guy pose.

Naruto smiled thoughtfully.

Sakura-chan has truly became an amazing kunnoichi, hasn't she?- Said him in a quiet voice.

Yeah… She worked harder than anyone else, never got a break, she wanted to become as amazing as you and Sasuke.- Said Lee with a serious expression.

Hum… She became even better than us… I'll have to work hard to join her in ANBU soon…- Said Naruto with a wide grin.- Let's spar fuzzy brows!- He shouted turning back to his cheerful self.

--

Sakura's heart pounded inside her chest, finally, after many days of unsuccessful search and useless information, she had finally find them… Or at least she hoped it was really them, this time. She was in the rain country, and it was raining a lot, and it made difficult to move with her usual speed, or to be as silent as she was used to be, and she knew that the two presences she had felt a head of her, had noticed her approaching.

The two chakra's signatures were amazingly big and powerful, one felt bloodthirsty and aggressive, and the other one that were far more powerful was dark, a very dark chakra that she could feel raising around her as much as she get near it, as if it were a big shadow, and she felt a chill of fear get down her spine.

Suddenly she got to a great clearing on the forest, and landed right in front of Hoshikage Kisame. The shark man gave her an evil grin, she didn't bother with that, she wasn't worried with him, she feared the man she was sure was near, but she couldn't see.

You've been looking for me, for a very long time kunnoichi… Should we talk?- Said the big blue man, taking his big sword from his back.

I've no business with you Kisame… And I'm not here to fight… I have a deal to Itachi…- Said her with an unaffected voice.

Oh… I think he's not interested… But it would be a pity let you go without any fun…

Kisame swung his sword to a powerful blow, he was fast, but Sakura was more, she dodged it easily and aimed a punch into his stomach, he tried to dodge, but was too late, her fist came in contact with the side of his body, and she heard the ribs being broken. A normal shinnobi would have been launched many meters away, but Kisame was far from normal, with a grunt of pain, he got hold of her throat, with a fast movement Sakura slammed her foot on the ground opening a big rift on it.

Kisame lost his balance and released her, she fell to the ground gasping for air. The shark man attacked again, but she got out of the way, jumping in a tree.

I don't want to fight! That's not why I'm here… Konoha's offering a treaty to the Akatsuki's leader! We know the truth about what happened with the uchiha clan, we know about the orders, and the plot against the village.- Sakura said quietly, with her usual unemotional voice, knowing that Itachi would hear her, along with Kisame, and that he could simply kill her, or listen to her… But she really doesn't wanted to waste time with a meaningless fight.

A sudden movement behind her, made Sakura spun around, her eyes met red ones, sharingan… Mangekyou sharingan! Quickly she sealed her mind from it, she had learned to do it sparing against Kakashi, but she find out to be much more difficult to break away from the Uchiha's illusion. The black and red world appeared in front of her, a very thin katana pierced her skin, and she screamed in pain. And it happened again, and again…

"Shit! I have to get out of here!"- She screamed inside her mind through all the pain, draining as much chakra as she could, she blocked her mind again, the red world blinked in front of her eyes and she collapsed to the ground, feeling the rain on her back.

In a swift motion she got to her feet, and looked directly to the red eyes through her mask, making sure that her mind were well shielded.

I'm serious! Konoha, is asking for forgiveness. I'm here on peace.- Said her again, her voice as blank as before, even if she felt like fainting for the massive use of chakra, and for the fear she felt raising inside her. That man, with those deadly eyes in front of her were the stronger shinnobi in the entire world, he was far more powerful than the three sannins, and as much power she got, there were no way she could beat someone like him… That realization made her really uncomfortable, she hadn't felt so helpless since she was thirteen, since then, no enemy were good enough to inspire fear on her.

Itachi stared at the cat like mask with a blank expression, he was pondering if it was or not true what the girl were saying, and if it were, why was Konoha asking him to go back… How the hokage got to know it…Anyway the best thing he had to do was to listen to the girl, and then decide if the treaty was worth or not.

Speak…- He said, in his cold velvet-like voice.

Sakura felt relieved, whether he would or not take the deal, he complied in hear her. But she decided that was better not speak, he wouldn't trust her word after all. She gave him the scroll Tsunade had written instead. Itachi opened it in a swift motion, and started to read. At this rate, Kisame had approached the two of them, and stood there at a safe distance from Itachi looking at Sakura with amused and curious eyes, he had tasted her strength and saw when she broke free from Itachi's genjutsu, no men have ever done it before, whoever was that girl, and whatever she wanted, she sure were a very interesting girl.

After some painfully long minutes for Sakura, Itachi raised his eyes from the scroll, the sharingan still activated, but without the mangekyou.

You'll come with us, we'll talk about the deal later.- Said Itachi.

Sakura wasn't sure if it was very good idea to hang around with S-criminals for too long… but she hasn't a choice, and as such, she simply nodded to the sharingan master and the three shinnobi jumped to the trees.

They traveled in silence, the two Akatsuki going ahead while the kunnoichi followed them closely. Itachi looked only a head, completely ignoring the other two, but Kisame glanced to the girl once in a while, at first it annoyed her, and she had to fight back the urge to punch him again, but as the hours passed she started to grow bored and was really considering the idea of starting a conversation with the shark man, the terrifying presence of Itachi was the only thing that kept her tongue where it was.

They traveled for a very long time, stopping in a small village next to the rain country's border with the grass country. Itachi entered a inn, it was very small, but looked clean, an old man was sitting behind a tall desk and looked up when the three people entered the place. The man gave them a strange look and Itachi started to talk, before he could.

Two rooms.- Ordered the Uchiha.

Sakura looked at the scared face of the old man… He had all the reasons to be sacred, the three of them made a very strange figure, a masked girl, with two black cloaked men, one of the them with red eyes and the other with blue skin… Poor jiji… Thought the kunnoichi.

The old man gave the black haired two keys, without a word, he seemed too scared to speak.

You can take the dinner, to the rooms! And some sake too!- Said Kisame before the three of them started to walk towards the small staircase at the side of the room.

They reached a long corridor filled with closed doors, Itachi stopped in front of two of then and handed one key to Sakura pointing a room to her. Without a word she grasped the key and entered the room, locking the door behind her, not that it would really keep someone from coming in if they really wanted, but she felt safer like this.

Slowly, she took off her mask and loosed her hair, she sited on the soft bed and took off her boots, laying down her head on the pillows. She hadn't realized how much she were tired since that moment… The fast fight against Kisame, the effort to break free from Itachi's genjutsu and the long run, made her very tired, even more since she hadn't slept in a proper bed for more than a week. Against her will, her tiredness took the best of her and she drifted to sleep, letting her body relax from all the tension she had been through during the whole day.

Sakura awaked a mere half an hour later, with heavy passes on the corridor, "the dinner…" she remembered getting to her feet and putting on the mask immediately. A moment later, she heard small knocks on the door and was surprised to see Kisame, holding a tray of food and a bottle of sake.

Yo! The old man forgot the dinner, so I had to get it myself… Oh… You have pink hair… How girly!- Said the shark man entering the room and setting the tray in a low table along with the sake.- You don't mind if I eat with you do you? Itachi will be here soon, he had some business to tend too…- Informed the shark man sitting in the single chair of the room.

Sakura closed the door and sat herself on the bed looking at the big blue man in front of her with disbelief… This sure wasn't the picture she had from Hoshigake Kisame…

Hey, you gave me a damn good punch do you know? I've broken four ribs!- He said chuckling and pouring some sake in two small cups.

I've told you I didn't want to fight… It was your own choice…- Sakura said blankly.

I'm not complaining! It was very good fight, beside the pain and all… I want to spar with you later on if Itachi doesn't kill you… You're a good fighter! Come on pinky! Drink!- He said giving her a cup of sake and emptying one in his own mouth.

Sakura wasn't sure about what to do, she was hungry, and a bit of sake wouldn't be bad, but she didn't want to take off her mask in front of them… Showing her pink hair was bad enough… But then again, they would become her fellows if they agreed with the treaty, and if they don't they'd kill her even without seeing her face. She took her mask and sipped the sake.

So? Like it?- Asked the blue man.

Yeah…- She answered reticently.

The two of them ate and drank silently for a while, but soon enough Kisame started to talk again, he was a very talkative type, Sakura noticed, he probably had a really hard time been teamed up with someone as silent as Itachi…

Later they felt Itachi's presence in the corridor and he entered the room silently. The Uchiha stared blankly at the image in front of him, a pink haired with green eyes kunnoichi drinking and eating with a shark man that was visibly drunk. Any other person would have laughed at that, but Itachi never laughed.

Hey Itachi! Come on, join us! - Said Kisame motioning to the sake and the food.

Sakura looked up to the red eyes, and she and the Sharingan user looked at each other for a very long time, each of them measuring the others strength. Itachi knew who the girl were, he had heard of her, a pink haired medic-nin, the hokage's pupil, a better medic than her shishou, an ANBU elite ninja, rated with the higher ranks at the bingo book. Tsunade sure knew how to choose someone to deal with him.

You'll be meeting the others at the snow country. We'll talk about the deal then.- Said Itachi to the kunnoichi, before leaving the room.

The others… Sakura felt chills down her spine just to think of meeting the other members of Akatsuki, it wasn't fear exactly, it was more like excitement, they were the world's strongest shinnobi after all…

--

The next day, Sakura met the two Akatsuki members at the small reception, she wasn't using her mask, and her hair was loose, she wasn't sure of why she felt so comfortable around them, and knew that she wasn't entirely safe, they were Akatsuki after all, and hasn't given her an answer yet, but she felt confident about it. And was sure that her mask wouldn't keep her safe from them.

The journey wasn't as quiet this time, Itachi kept silent, but he seemed to be listen to Sakura's and Kisame's talk. The two of them talked about weapons most of the time, the shark man was very surprised to met a girl who knew as much as he about swords, and she was surprised to know that he actually could have a civilized talk with someone.

The kunnoichi was very relieved when they crossed the rain country border, she was getting tired of the rain, and the grass country turned out be a much more dry place, beside the cold wind. They were heading North, to the snow country, and it'd get very cold soon… Sakura wasn't wearing a cloak like the men, and wasn't looking forward to enter the gelid country, but as long as they kept moving, she'd be fine.

They reached the snow country around dusk, and the snow have been falling since some time then. Sakura felt her entire body aching from the cold, but she was used to it, she used small amounts of chakra to warm up her body and keep her from shivering. Itachi analyzed the kunnoichi with slight surprise, she was really a strong shinnobi, many of the Akatsuki would be whimpering from cold at that rate, without any cloak, but she had the amazing capability of burn chakra for heat without wasting it… The rumors about her being a great medic might be true, since she really got a perfect chakra control…

They traveled during the whole night, the snow covering the ground and immense blocks of ice blocking their way, Sakura's lips had already turn to purple, and she started to shiver even using more and more chakra to keep her warm, but if they traveled for too long more, she'd collapse from hypothermia.

Suddenly Itachi stopped in front of a huge rock, Kisame stopped right by his side with a puzzled Sakura.

Making some hand seals, Itachi started to shape the rock into a big cave, "that's an amazing technique…" Thought Sakura looking up at the cave.

We'll rest here for now…- Said the Uchiha entering the rock.

The kunnoichi followed, and was really grateful when the sharingan master created a huge fire with one of his jutsus, she sat as close of the fire as she could not to burn herself, and tried to relax as much as she could to regain her forces. Kisame put his samehada against a wall and laid down beside it starting to snore almost immediately. Itachi sited leaning against a wall across from Sakura.

The two of them didn't talk for a very long while, both simply staring into the flames.

Who showed the archives to the hokage?- Asked Itachi, with a low cold voice.

Sakura raised her green eyes to meet his sharingan ones, she wondered how many people have looked inside his eyes like that and survived… None, probably…

I did.- She said in a also quiet voice.- A strange old woman showed them to me…

Old woman? Who?- He asked, much more interested in the girl now, even if he didn't let appear in his voice.

I don't know… She didn't told me her name… She had snow-white hair and…

Brown eyes.- Finished Itachi, as if talking to himself.

Yes.- Answered Sakura. She wanted to ask him who was the woman, but before she could say anything a _plant_ appeared in the middle of the cave.

The kunnoichi gave it an intrigued look.

Itachi… The girl have survived until here… **That****'****s a surprise****…** Sure it's a surprise… **We****'****ve brought the cloak, she won****'****t make it to the headquarters without one****…** The others are coming already… **Everyone will be there soon-** Said the plant-thing.

Itachi nodded and took the black cloak the man offered him. For Sakura horror the plant turned to her.

So that's the Hokage's pupil… **Yes, the best medic-nin ever heard of****…**** Haruno Sakura****…**Nice to meet you… We're Zetsu…

Sakura blinked, she had some problems to follow the twisted talk of the man, well the two men in front of her…

ah! Nice to meet you too, Zetsu.- She said.

The plant-man gave her a toothy grin before disappear bellow the ground.

Take it… It'll get colder tomorrow…- Said Itachi handing her a cloak.

Sakura got the black cloak with the red clouds pattern. She stared at it with blank eyes for a while, she never thought she'd wear a Akatsuki cloak in her life… But she had no choice…

Thanks…- She whispered, sliding the cloak in her shoulders.


	3. Chapter 3

-1The Akatsuki headquarters stayed in a high mountain, and was a impressive stone building, that for Sakura dismay seemed a lot cold…

They entered through a small wooden door, and entered a poorly illuminated corridor that seemed to led to a lot more of them.

I'm going take a nap…- Said Kisame entering, one corridor at the left.

Itachi looked at Sakura and motioned to her to follow him, she walked closely to him, it would be easy to get lost in those dark corridors. The leaf's shinnobi gazed at the Akatsuki leader in front of her, she couldn't imagine how he managed to move on after all the hell he had been put into… It wasn't a surprise that he had became such a cold person, the emotion and the turmoil he must had felt was beyond her imagination…

She opened her mouth to say she was sorry, to say she felt bad about everything that happened with him, that she was ashamed of her own village, but before she could say anything he stopped and opened a door.

You can stay here… I'll send someone to get you, when the meeting begin…- Said the Uchiha.

Sakura nodded and entered the room, it was a very comfortable room, with a big fireplace, a soft bed, a Japanese style table, a small wardrobe and a door that led to what Sakura supposed was a bathroom.

Thank you…- She said blankly, raising her green eyes to meet his red ones.

Itachi stared at the pink haired kunnoichi with curiosity, that young girl showed no fear of him, it was obvious that she was a very powerful shinnobi herself, but still, no one have ever looked into his eyes with such confidence, not even his own partners, that were almost as powerful as himself. Almost…

The sharingan master left without a word. The kunnoichi closed the door and leaned against it. She wanted to say something to him, show that she was really sorry about his story… Show that she still thought of him as a Konoha fellow, even if he had been treated as a missing-nin during all these years… But she was too used to mask her emotions… No… She was used to have no emotions, she got rid of all of them during the last three years, and now she couldn't express it anymore… And she really shouldn't be feeling them towards someone like Uchiha Itachi, sure he wasn't the awful criminal she had thought him to be, but that didn't change the fact that he did Killed his all clan, even if it was on a mission… Well, she couldn't imagine herself accepting a mission like that… No she'd never accept a mission that could involve hurting her loved ones…

Sasuke's image popped into her mind, she knew how his story could end up… She knew she could receive an order to hunt him down and, well she wasn't sure how she'd react but she felt that she couldn't betray her own believes to defend him, but it was a completely different issue, Sasuke was really a criminal, and the Uchiha clan wasn't… Even if they had defied the village's rules in some way it wasn't a reason to finish off all of the clan even the small babies. Itachi was a really a emotionless killing machine, and as much as she felt sorry for him it wasn't rational to show any compassion towards him, the sharingan master wouldn't like it, and she could end up dead or worse…

Sighing Sakura lighted the fireplace with a simple fire jutsu and tossed her cloak on a chair, taking off her boots she entered the bathroom, she was very pleased to see a big bathtub in there, and decided to take a long warm bath.

Sakura let her body relax inside the hot water, she needed it more than she had thought, all her muscles ached from the massive exercise she had been doing during the last days, and the harsh cold. While she relaxed, her mind analyzed the situation she was in: she was taking a bath in a S-criminals hideout, waiting for them to decide if they will or not accept an alliance proposal from her village, that she had discovered to be the responsible for the massacre of a entire clan and turn into a hell the life of it's most reliable shinnobi and wipe out all the possible happiness that one of her teammates could have…

It was sure a very awkward and ironic moment of her life… But it wasn't any use think too deeply about it, this whole deal was already driving her crazy, and she just wanted to enjoy the water's warmth and let her mind go blank.

Sakura get off the bathtub when the water started to grew cold and wrapped herself in a soft towel. She stood in front of the mirror an brushed her hair carefully, she hadn't the time to properly take care of herself since she left Konoha. After a long time, when her hair looked beautiful and soft again she got off of the bathroom, and started to dress herself she picked a black long-sleeved shirt with the haruno's crest on the back, grey shorts, and the heavy black bootss, Sakura laid down on the bed, still fully awake despite the lack of sleep of the last days, and just stared at the ceiling while her mind worked hard on her knew found feelings and thoughts towards the Akatsuki and Konoha.

Moments later she heard small knocks at the door, she stood but before she reached the doorknob it burst open and she looked directly at blonde blue-eyed _guy_ (he looked a lot a girl though…) that looked amazingly like Ino.

hum.. The meeting will begin now, yeah… Itachi told me to get you…- Said him with a strange accent.

The kunnoichi only nodded and waited for him to move, but the man just stared at her with a smirk.

You're really silent, hm… Now I see how you survived this long with Itachi, yeah… And he even will accept your proposal… You're sure is a shinnobi worth to remember… You're name is?- Said the man more to himself than to anyone else.

Haruno Sakura.- Answered her slightly amused and somewhat flattered by the man's talk.

Sakura, hm… it matches your hair… I'm Deidara, hm.- Said the man with a bigger grin.

Without any other words he spun around and left the room, Sakura followed him through the dark corridors, feeling very surprised by how good mannered and nice he seemed to be… He'd be a very good friend if he wasn't a S-class criminal and all. But, Oh well… He'd become her comrade soon if Itachi had really decided to accept Konoha's offer…

All the seven Konoha members were gathered in what seemed to be a huge meeting room, all of them were sited in a long table, Itachi occupied the head of the table, there were two empty chairs, one at his right side and the other next to a red-haired man which looked more like a teenager. Deidara took the place next to the red-haired man, and Sakura sat herself at Itachi's side, feeling suddenly to conscious of herself, since all the eyes were fixed on her.

Kunnoichi, would you tell us the Konoha's terms in this deal?- Said coldly Itachi.

Recently, the godaime found the lost archives with all the information about the Uchiha clan slaughter, and that it was really a top-secret mission ordered by Danzou, and as such Itachi isn't a traitor as it seemed during the last years. The hokage wants to rebuilt the bonds between Konoha and Uchiha Itachi, and since he's now the Akatsuki's leader, the village wants to make an alliance between the two organizations, the Akatsuki would be turned into a legal organization and receive support from the fire country. The village will also listen to any others terms you'd like to discuss.- Informed Sakura in a monotonous voice.

Oh… A very nice proposal, but what would we have to give in exchange?- Asked the teenage-like guy.

The only thing the Village demand is that the Akatsuki gave up immediately on the Kyuubi, and of any other offensive posture against any of ours shinnobi.- Answered the Kunnoichi.

The kyuubi has no use for us anymore.- Said the blank voice of Itachi.

Sakura felt a huge relieve at this statement, her only concern was for Naruto, the Akatsuki wasn't known to give up any of its plans, specially not to honor an alliance, but everything could go smoothly for that moment on, supposing he was telling the truth and they have no more interest in the demon fox, but she guessed Itachi had no reason to lie. And as much as she wanted to know why the kyuubi was now obsolete to them, she decided not to ask, that wasn't her mission… She nodded and waited for someone to talk, but no one did, and she felt she was expect to go on.

In order to make the deal official, all of you have to come back to Konoha with me, the Hokage will announce the new alliance to the village and grant you all the leaf ninja status.- She said.

She noticed a slight change on the atmosphere, it seemed like all of them were accepting the idea, they have nothing to lose after all…

What is Konoha planning to do with Orochimaru?- The Uchiha asked.

Sakura stayed silent for a moment, she wasn't sure if she should talk about the village current situation to these guys right now, they haven't accept the deal just yet, but she was pretty sure that Itachi's decision could be changed by her answer… Sasuke was with the sannin after all… She wasn't sure of how much the younger Uchiha means to the older one, but he surely was a important subject…

Konoha doesn't have the power to fight Orochimaru right now… But we intent to use this alliance to make a move on the sound village and kill him, he's a great threat to the leaf, and also we need to get Uchiha Sasuke back to the village, he's on his side now, but there's a chance of getting him back before his treason become too serious to the village forgive it.- Informed Sakura, knowing that she had said more than what she actually had to, but also feeling that she owed the Uchiha that much of information about his younger brother.

She knew that if Itachi get back to the village, Sasuke would turn against it completely, and hate everyone in it even more when he learned the whole truth, but she also knew that Itachi was probably the only living man capable of defeat Orochimaru, and that make this alliance was the only way to bring Sasuke back… It wasn't a easy situation, and all this had very little chances of ending well, but Sakura hasn't failed in anything since she was thirteen, and now she wanted to bring both Uchiha's brothers back to the village, and she wouldn't fail…

We'll leave by the dawn…- Said Itachi with low smooth voice that send chill down the kunnoichi's spine.


	4. Chapter 4

-1Sakura put on the Akatsuki cloak, she was still sleepy, and the huge amount of sake she had drank the last night wasn't helping her disposition either. After the meeting her and the Akatsuki members had dinner and celebrated the new alliance. She was really getting along with all of them, she had a very pleasant discussion about art with Deidara and Sasori, and also got very interested in Hidan's religion, even if it sounded a bit macabre and Kakuzu kept making funny remarks about it. Kisame got drunk almost immediately, and just laughed about all the conversation, Sakura was sure he wasn't understanding anything that was said. Zetsu watched the whole thing with his toothy grin talking to himself and sometimes making some questions to the kunnoichi, but ignoring deliberately all of hers. Itachi was silent most of the time and drank very little, Sakura wanted to talk to him sometimes, but find nothing to say, he sure wasn't a talkative person and making reckless questions to someone like him wasn't reasonable at all, but he would participate sometimes, especially when the subject turned to something cult, like books or story, and Sakura got the desire to talk more with him, it'd be surely interesting.

She heard some knocks at the door, and she exited the room to find the Uchiha waiting for her. The two shinnobi greeted each other with a single nod and he led her through the corridors to the outside. It was snowing heavily, and the cold was almost unbearable, the pink-haired kunnoichi thanked silently for the cloak she had been given, she'd die from hypothermia if wasn't for it.

Five Akatsuki was expecting them, zetsu was nowhere to be seen, Sakura assumed he was going ahead, he could travel under the ground after all… She took some time to realize that the turtle-like _thing_ covered with the cloak was actually Sasori inside one of his puppets, she really preferred his teenager form…

Let's go.- Said Itachi.

Deidara jumped on top of a huge clay bird and flied ahead, all the others started to run through the snow covered ground heading to the south.

--

They traveled for five days, passing through the snow country, the rain country, the stone country and finally the fire country. As the sun buried itself in the west the seven travelers neared the leaf village, Sakura started to grow worried again, she didn't knew how the discussions between Tsunade and the elders had ended up, and it was a very dangerous move enter the village with seven Akatsuki if none of the leaf's Shinnobi knew about the treaty. But she was anxious either, she wanted to end this mission as soon as possible, and fix up the awful mistake that Konoha had done…

She couldn't quite understand why it was so damn important to her, far more important than any of her missions, and even more important than rescuing Sasuke which had once been her top priority, but after she became a full shinnobi turned into a pale and somewhat forgotten goal, something she wished to do as a kid and simple lost interest as she grew up. And realizing this while she traveled with her former enemies and still hostile "comrades", was very shocking and she couldn't help but feel uneasy about her own resolve of doing this and even more angry about all the mess those creepy councilmen did.

They entered the village quietly, avoiding the main gates and rushing through the rooftops towards the Hokage's mansion, using the twilight to hide their presence from the other shinnobi. With swift motions they jumped through the hokage's office window. Tsunade was sitting at her desk and merely lift her eyes to greet the newcomers, Shizune let out a tiny shriek and dropped a pile of paper she was holding.

Welcome back Sakura, it seems that you have completed your mission with success.- Said the Hokage.

Of course she did Hokage, you send to us a very skillfully shinnobi. **So skillful that gives the will to eat her****…****- **Said Zetsu that just rouse from the ground.

Shizune shrieked again when she saw the plant man, said a rushed excuse and left the room almost running. The hokage sighed.

I'm glad that you accept our treaty Itachi, and I want to apologize with you for all that have been done against you and your clan.- Said Tsunade fixing her hazel eyes on the red ones in front of her.

Your apologizes doesn't matter to me Tsunade, your treaty is indeed very interesting to the Akatsuki, and as such I'll accept it, but there are still some other issues I want to discuss with you.- Said the Sharingan Master.

The hokage frowned a bit, and turned her gaze to the window.

Tsk… Ok, what else do you want?- Asked her as if fearing the answer. Tsunade was actually worried about Naruto, she expected that the Akatsuki leader would ask for the boy's head, but his answer surprised and relieved her.

I want you to heal my eyes… You're probably aware of the side effects that the sharingan brings, and that ordinary doctors can't fix them…- Said the sharingan master, with serious eyes.

The Godaime gave a relieved sigh and looked back at Itachi.

It's fine with me, it'll be something good to konoha have you at full power anyway. But, I can't heal your eyes, I've studied the sharingan effects some years ago, but I could never revert none. Sakura on the other side, fixed completely Kakashi's eye, and probably has far more chances than me to succeed, I'll leave this task to her.- Said the godaime to him, and turned to her pupil.- Do you think you can do this?

The mechanisms of Kakashi's sharingan are completely different from that of a true Uchiha, but the basics principles might be the same, I'll have to check first the damage that's already done and do some research on how does his chakra works to have a clear opinion, but I think I can do it. -Said the pink haired kunnoichi with confidence.

The Hokage grinned.

When can you start?- Asked Itachi to Sakura.

Tomorrow.- She answered.

In the evening at the Uchiha's main house then.- He said.

And there is any other thing you wanted to discuss?- Asked the Godaime.

Yes, Orochimaru… I want total autonomy to deal with him, and also total access to the village data on him.

No problem on it, Sakura will act as mediator between the Akatsuki and Konoha, you can have access to everything through her, I won't interfere in any of yours decisions, but I'd like her to accompany you in the attack.- Answered Tsunade. Itachi just looked silent into her eyes for a moment, but nodded.

That's all Tsunade.- Said the Uchiha.

--

Sakura got home with her mind racing, her job was already done, she had already find Itachi, brought him back to the village, with a surprisingly low difficultness judging from just who we're talking about, but still she couldn't feel at easy. This whole ordeal was still bothering her, not only her believe on the village were still shaken, since it was obvious the only reason for this treaty to be signed was that Akatsuki could be useful for konoha, and just formality of signing the deal doesn't really turned those men into leaf's shinnobi, they'd most likely keep their illegal acts and that the village's ninja would still hate them.

But what bothered her the most, was the fact that even knowing about their killings and cruel demeanor, she had felt fine towards them, much better than she had been feeling towards her own comrades during the last years. They had a very twisted way of thinking and were very dangerous and short tempered, but still they weren't as bad as she had once thought, they were unique and quite fun to be around.

Kisame had a vast knowledge on weapons and could keep talking about them for hours, he was also a very good drinking partner and exchanging dirty jokes and insults with him was surprisingly refreshing to someone like her, who always had been polite to everyone. Hidan had a very twisted religion and demeanor, listen to him talking about it was frightening but it was also interesting, and watching him and Kakuzu fight and mutually slain each other was very fun, even when Hidan would end up pinned to the wall with something trespassing his chest. Sasori and Deidara were other interesting pair, all of them loved art, and both had interesting visions towards it even if they couldn't agree in anything, talking with them made her think about art and she was startled to see that she actually had some opinions about it too, and both men seemed pleased to hear her shy comments on it. Zetsu, were a very twisted guy and scared the hell out of her, specially with hi newfound idea of eating her and all, but finding creepy guys on the shinnobi world wasn't something very hard.

And of course, there were Itachi, the sharingan master were the one she knew more about and yet the biggest mystery to her, and also the one she feared most, she wasn't quite sure why, but just looking at him made her get overly self-conscious and the simple timbre of his voice would made the blood froze on her eyes and the voice die on her throat. He just seemed too dangerous, his eyes held a feral glow that made him look like a predator ready to jump on his prey, and as much as she knew he wasn't so cruel as she once believed she still feared him, far more than she feared the other Akatsuki, which as much as she knew were completely guilty of all the evil deeds they were charged for, and that confused her even more.

Sighing she leaded to her room, she had to take off those sweaty clothes and take a long bath, she was also hungry, but the dinner would have to wait, she really needed a hot bath. Entering her room she found herself looking directly at the mirror, and she was startled at her reflection. That woman with loose hair falling careless at her face, with dark circles around her eyes, which have a dark tone of green, wearing the black cloak with the red clods pattern didn't seemed like her at all, didn't seemed like the perfect ANBU ninja she had been during the last three years, neither the naïve girl she were long time ago or the serious medic she were at the hospital, that woman, that one looking back at her seemed like a free one, like someone who earned nothing to none…

The pink haired kunnoichi burst laughing, that kind of nervous laugh that made her doudt her own sanity, she looked so much like an actual member of Akatsuki that she was sure Tsunade had been startled, and any of her former teammates would have been really confused if they saw her like that, but she also find that she liked that appearance, the way she'd look like if she wasn't who she were, if she had truly left the village that one night she begged Sasuke to bring her with him, but it turned up to be his brother the one who gave her a small taste of how it'd be like to be truly free. The life sure is ironic…


	5. Chapter 5

-1The next day, the whole village talked about the treaty between konoha and the infamous Akatsuki, only the highest ranked Ninjas knew all the truth behind it. And, thanks to that, most of the people disapproved the deal and feared the new allies, who walked through the town with their characteristic cloaks and the amused expressions as they noticed the fearful faces of the villagers and younger ninjas.

The only one who didn't showed up on the streets, were the one most talked about, the Uchiha. The man who slaughtered his entire clan and had been a nuke-nin for all those years…

But Itachi didn't leave the Uchiha district, he had almost forgotten everything about it, about his old life, and his family… In order to live on as an outsider and bear the weight of his sins, he had to block his old memories, and now that he was back, the flow of memories would've been overwhelming to anyone, but to him it was just slightly bothersome… At the beginning, right after he left the village he had some difficult to forget about the slaughter of his own clan, he wasn't really regretful or anything, specially not about killing the other Uchiha ninjas as his father, but the death of the small children, some which couldn't even walk yet and the housewives who were mostly peaceful and kind like his own mother, stung into him. But he managed to get rid of these silly feelings as well, and now… now back at his old house some of these small regrets kept coming to his mind now and then.

Sakura stayed at the hospital the entire day, she couldn't believe the huge amount of work she got, but it was nice to be back to her old life, even if the constant gossip about the Akatsuki and the treaty was making her sick. She'd had screamed the whole truth to the entire village if she could, but despite that, the kunnoichi just kept working as efficiently as ever.

At the sunset Naruto, rushed inside the hospital.

Sakura-Chan! You're finally back…

Hush! Naruto! We're in a hospital…- She hissed at him with a glare.

He blushed and made a sad face, Sakura almost regretted being rude to him, almost.

Your mission took so much time, I was worried… So, do you already know about that weird pact that oba-san made with the Akatsuki? It's craziness! How can we work with that Uchiha murderer.- He said with an angry voice.

The hokage's decisions aren't ours to judge, she knows what she's doing, and it isn't right to shinnobi to talk about what we don't fully know, and you should stop referring to the Uchiha like that, he's our ally now.- Said Sakura, her voice as calm as ever, but the anger boiling inside her veins.

Hum… You're right Sakura-chan!- Said the blond, his bright smile back to his face, but a somewhat gloomy glow in his eyes- Hey, do you want to eat ramen with me? The whole gang will be at the Ichiraku.

Sorry, Naruto, I had some work to do tonight.- Answered the kunnoichi watching his face fall.

Hum… Okay then… Bye Sakura-chan!- Said him before leaving with a small smile.

She felt bad for turning him down, but she had to meet Itachi to start the research on his eyes. And she didn't want to hear all the gossip the people would be doing at Ichikaru either. To think that in the past she had missed her companions so much… She had wished to go eat ramen so may times while he was gone, she wanted to hang out with the guys so many nights, but in the previous years she had buried herself in work and train, trying to convince herself that if she became strong she would get back to her old life and her old friends, and now… Now she hasn't the time to think about it…

She left the hospital and went straight to her home, running through the rooftops to avoid the people on the streets, after a fast bath, she was off again heading to the Uchiha district.

Sakura found herself hoping that the Uchiha wasn't alone at home, she wasn't sure why but she was very uncomfortable with the idea of being alone with him, and felt angry with herself for thinking like this, she was acting like a blushing teenager… Of course she was only seventeen, but still she already had the status of an adult and should act and think like one…

She entered the district and slowed down her pace, those empty and dark houses seemed haunted, as if ghosts of the past were still lurking around, the kunnuichi felt chills down her spine, but also noticed that the place was very beautiful if wasn't for the gloom… Finally she reached the main house, the front door were slightly open which proved that the Uchiha was expecting her. Taking a deep breath she stepped inside.

The house was dark except for a single room at the end of the hall, with silent steps the pink-haired girl walked towards it. She found Itachi sitting beside a table sipping a cup of tea, he wasn't wearing his cloak, only a black shirt and also black pants, his feet were bare, and he seemed very relaxed. Of course he noticed her coming, but made no move to acknowledge her when she entered.

Sakura waited patiently, he knew why she was there, and so she had no need to explain herself, and it would seem very odd to greet him like she'd do if it were anyone else, Itachi wasn't a man for small talk or empty sympathy. But while watching him, she couldn't help but wonder how he'd be if that awful mission hadn't been given to him… Maybe they'd be friends, he'd be her teammate's brother after all, probably she'd been there many times to train with Sasuke, and he could've helped them… Or maybe he and Sasuke would have been fighting all the time, and she'd think he were a jerk… But none of it came to place, all of the nice possibilities were wasted and now the only thing left was that lonely man in front of her… Probably as lonely as herself.

Shouldn't we start to work?- He finally spoke, not turning to face her.

I'll be doing a complete check up and it may take a long time, so it'd be better if you laid down.- She said, sounding as professional as ever.

He didn't answer, but got to his feet and motioned for her come with him. He took her to a nicely lit and spacious bedroom. He laid on the futon and Sakura kneeled beside him, still in silent she took off a notebook and a pen from the bag she had brought with her and placed them next to her.

First I have check your eyes without the sharingan.- She said simply.

Itachi said nothing but his eyes turned from red to black.

You can close your eyes if you want to… I'll close mine for concentration.- The kunnoichi said closing her eyes and placing her hands softly next to his eyes, but the uchiha heir just kept staring blankly at her.

Sakura let her chakra flow to her fingertips and into him, but she found resistance, as if he were blocking her. She got slightly annoyed by that, she was helping him after all! But deep inside she could understand, let someone insert their chakra in your body requires a great deal of trust, since that'd allow the person to kill you instantly, and for someone like Uchiha Itachi to actually trust someone seemed a impossible task. The kunnoichi felt pity for the man, he was so powerful, so ruthless and had seen so much hell in his life that people would never trust him, and he could never trust them back. Sakura'd never believe that He actually had asked to have his eyes fixed, if she hasn't listened it herself.

But as much as she could understand his reluctance, but she had to put her chakra on him if he wanted his eyes to be fixed, and there's no way she could win a fight for dominance against him.

Stop fighting me… I can't do anything if you keep shutting me out…- The pink haired girl said with a calm voice, her eyes still close.

Itachi couldn't help but feel really surprised… She said something like this to _him_ without any signs of fear, as if she were talking to any patient of hers… She sure were something…

He still didn't like the idea of having someone searching him with chakra, and liked even less of having someone talking in that tone of command to him. But the truth is that he needed to heal his eyes, his eyesight was getting worse by the minute and the solution he had found so many years ago, had turned into a failure, his last hope rested into that girls hands, even if he hated to admit it. With a small frown, unnoticed to the close-eyed kunnoichi, the sharingan master let her in.


	6. Chapter 6

-1Pain…

It was the first thing Sakura could feel when Itachi finally let her chakra inside his body. The tiny and continuous pain that flowed inside her through his chakra caused the kunnoichi to bite her bottom lip, unaware that the sharing an master was still watching her.

No wonder he had asked to have his eyes healed… Sakura couldn't not even imagine how he had survived all this time with such an unstoppable pain, and as much as she searched his chakra veins, more she found interrupted flows and blocked ways, the fact he could see anything at all was a miracle in itself… But that might be the reason why he kept the sharingan turned on all the time.

Itachi kept staring at the girl, he could read all of her thoughts through her face, not that she was all that easy to read or anything, but she was so focused on her work that some of her features would show her intimate turmoil. He saw when she bit her lip and knew immediately that his pain had flowed into her, it was a strange and bittersweet notion, someone was actually sharing his suffering… It was a brand new sensation to the Uchiha heir, and he felt comforted by this idea, even knowing that she wouldn't be doing this if wasn't for the hokage's order.

He kept watching her and saw her small frowns and the constant chewing on her lip, his situation probably wasn't good, but he knew that much already, and also knew that fixing his eyesight would be an very hard task, maybe even impossible…

After a whole hour when Sakura simply searched his obstructed veins and tested the extend of the damage, she took her hands away from him, grabbed the notebook and started writing all her conclusions and observations, something she always did when studying a rare case, this being probably a unique one… Itachi said nothing and simply waited her to say something or to continue her work.

Now I need to take a look on your sharingan eyes.- She said putting her hands back on his eyes.

He complied, and watched she bite her lip even harder when his eyes turned back to crimson. Sakura felt his chakra forcing its way through the blocked veins and amplifying the pain even more. "How the hell can he keep this on all the time?" inner sakura kept screaming in her mind. It wasn't that kind of tiny sure pain as before, it was real pain, a strong one, any shinnobi would've relinquished that jutsu long ago if feeling this was the price. But, oh well… It was Uchiha Itachi we're talking about and He certainly don't give up.

She took less time studying the sharingan, and after doing her annotations she asked him to switch to the mangekyou sharing an. The ache grew as expected, and the massive chakra he had to use amazed her, but the thing that surprised her most was that the mangekyou didn't seem to be the last stage, there were some other level, maybe more than one, but as deteriorated as his eyesight was she doubted he could pull them out. But if she could heal him, maybe she could help him to develop the other techniques…

Sakura couldn't help but fell excited by her discover, as a medic she always loved to solve the more complicated cases and beyond heal her patients she liked to help them to improve, and now she had the chance to work with the sharingan, the true one, belonged to a true Uchiha! She wasn't that excited since she was working on Lee's case.

Itachi noticed her excitement by the slight smirk that appeared on her mouth, and couldn't help but to be amused with the girl once more, she sure loved to be a medic, only the people who loved their jobs could feel that happy about their work. It was probably the same way he felt when he got a big fight… and a big kill.

After she finished her notes she turned back to the Uchiha, that sat on the futon with a laid back demeanor, his sharingan activated as always. The kunnoichi frowned looking at his crimson eyes, he didn't have to keep this thing on all the time, no wonder his eyesight got this much deteriorated…

I've checked all the mechanisms related with your sharingan, the veins are obstructed and the chakra's forced passage is causing the pain, you probably already knew that part anyway.- Started the medic with a mechanical voice- I can clean the hindered passages and relieve the pain, but it will come back after sometime of use. I still can't figure out how to restore your eyesight. I'll start some research… Do you know if there's any medical registers among the Uchiha's documents or something?- She asked.

Itachi kept in silence for a while, just staring at the girl, she seemed very confident, knowing exactly what she was doing and considering the healing of his eyes as a matter of time. He wasn't sure if this demeanor put him at easy or if it should make him more wary, no one ever could fix the damages of the sharingan before… But this little kunnoichi surely was a very capable medic, the one who could adapt the sharingan to a shinnobi who wasn't a Uchiha…

There's no record of no one ever reversing the sharingan injuries, but you can search the hidden library tomorrow if you want to.- Said him getting up and walking out of the room.

The kunnoichi rushed behind him grabbing her bag and notes, she was ready to ask why she couldn't see the library now, when she felt a powerful chakra signature coming close and she decided to keep her mouth shut. She knew that aura, it was Kisame's. It wasn't hard to figure that the Akatsuki was going to have a meeting, and she couldn't be there. They entered the living room to find the shark-nin standing there.

Yo! Pinky! So you did the job right?- He asked with a toothy grin.

Sakura smirked.- Sure thing sharky!- she said with the same dirty tone he used.

Itachi ignored both of them and entered another room, that was probably meant for the meeting, at the same time that Deidara and Sasori entered the house. The puppet master passed by them and went straight to the meeting room sparing no more than a glare to the others shinnobi, or so Sakura guessed since it was impossible to actually see his features while he was inside that puppet of his. Deidara stopped right in front of her.

Oh! Good evening Sakura, so you've actually joined us, hn?.- He greeted kindly, almost too kindly to Sakura's taste, "is he flirting with me or something?".

Oh! Hi. Well I was leaving already.- She answered lamely, "and what the hell he means by joined?". Sakura started to walk towards the door when a smooth voice made her stop.

You should stay kunnoichi.- Sounded Itachi's voice from the meeting room. She froze on the spot, he was saying that she should attend to the meeting? But how could she? She wasn't a part of any of it… Of course it made some sense given that she was supposed to be the link between Akatsuki and Konoha, but she didn't want to actually get involved with these men, she wasn't ready to hear about all the tasks and evil deeds they'd be planning today. Oh, she was not ready for this…

--

And what exactly will we do about the snake, hn?- Asked Deidara.

The meeting had begun many hours before, Sakura was amazed at how well mannered they seemed while talking about serious issues, no stupid jokes, no talking about gore and bloodshed, no meaningless fights, and the respect they showed towards Itachi (their leader) could rival the one leaf ninjas paid to the Hokage. Actually the kind of meeting and planning they were having was much similar the ones that the leaf's ninja held, the discussion about what should be done, and about who should take the task, all the talk about how to get money and how much they should use (Kakuzu was the only who actually seemed worried about it). The whole thing seemed awfully normal.

The thing that impressed the pink haired kunnoichi the most was that never, not even once they'd seem worried about the members safety or the mission success, no matter how difficult the task may look, they simply assumed that they could do it, no doubts about the members strength, and that was very different from the leaf's usual meetings. It was true that the konoha's shinnobis are strong, probably the strongest of all five hidden villages, but it was also true that the mission success was always a source of worry, the ninja's weakness always seemed to get in the way, a back up team always seemed to be needed, total trust was hardly given to the members…

Sakura noticed just how much it caused weakness to the ninja's, they all knew that if for some reason the things didn't went right, the hokage could be notified and someone would come to help, someone would come to save them, and sometimes they trusted in that, and if for some reason the back up couldn't come, if the message get there too late, the mission would be a failure, and the fault would fall on the hokage, on the back up team, on the whole village. Among Akatsuki it wasn't a option, they would never wait for back up, cause it wasn't supposed to come, they'd simply do what they should do without waiting for no one, no one would be notified if something bad occurred, and if they failed it was their fault and theirs only, there wouldn't be no sorrow among the other members, no vengeance action, they'd be simply replaced, and the knowledge of this would make them strong, would make them what they were, and they wouldn't fail.

Even if none of the issues discussed so far had nothing to do with her, the Akatsuki members would talk to her once a while and she'd notice with a awkwardly pleasant feeling that they treated her as an equal, even as a part of the group. Not as a partner or as a friend, for they not even act toward themselves like that, and since she had be given the task to be the link between them and konoha, they passed to consider her as a part of their troupe. The kunnoichi knew she should feel outraged by this, they are S-rank criminals, and she's a leaf shinnobi completely different from them, but she couldn't help but to feel flattered, they were the strongest ninja's after all…

When Deidara mentioned Orochimaru, Sakura got tense, even if all the others seemed as relaxed as before, just that confident demeanor that she had while talking about medical skills.

Orochimaru I'll handle myself, Kisame and Haruno will come with me, we'll check his power and determine the better moment to attack, Orochimaru represent's a powerful enemy and someone who can become a serious threat for Akatsuki in the future, when we strike we'll bring down every single shinnobi of the sound, none will be let alive.- Itachi said slowly.

I agree Itachi, they represent a hazard to us, but there's aproblem… **Yes, a problem, named Uchiha****…**How will we handle your little brother? He isn't much of a nuisance but… **Konoha may want him alive. Isn****'****t that right kunnoichi?- **Asked Zetsu.

Yes… konoha would like to have Uchiha Sasuke back to our ranks, but the village had already agreed no to interfere in the Akatsuki's affairs, if possible we'd like him not to be killed.- She said with an unemotional voice, and uncaring eyes, but she felt her chest getting tight, in part because she already knew what would be their answer, and part because she agreed with it.

I'll let you deal with him when the time comes Haruno, but if he cause to much problem he'll be killed along with the rest of them.- Stated the older Uchiha.

Sakura felt a chill down her spine, she was expecting for it, but hearing it being spoken aloud made her feel dirty inside, dirty for not feel outraged, for not scream in his defense, dirty for acting just like the man in front of her, the one man she had once hated so much.

Understood.- She answered, her voice showing none of her internal turmoil.

For the rest of the meeting her mind kept away from the present, wrapped in her memories and her confusing thoughts. She couldn't help but think about the time she had spent with the team seven and wonder had gone all the love she had once felt towards the younger Uchiha, and ask herself if she'd feel it again when she saw him… And also she'd think about the older Uchiha, how could condemn his younger brother to death like that? Well, of course he had killed his entire family before, but that was in a whole different situation, and even at that time he hadn't killed his younger brother, he couldn't kill him… right?

The kunnoichi left the uchiha's district feeling like an empty shell, like she had lost the little bit of soul she still had, as if her past had gotten even more distant from her, fallen into a bottomless abyss and she couldn't follow. Now she only desired to get home…


	7. Chapter 7

The next day a discreet make-up concealed the dark circles around Sakura's eyes caused by the lack of sleep. She entered the hospital with her usual calm face and unemotional eyes, her work was impeccable as ever, but her mind was far away from her patients.

The thoughts about Sasuke and her former team had been pushed away from her mind, no matter what had happened on the past she was a shin obi and had to focus on the present issues, and right now her only concern was the elder uchiha eyes, she was very curious about the sharing an higher levels that she had noticed the night before and most of all she wanted to know why the mechanisms on the uchiha's sharing an seemed so different from kakashi's, at the same time that it fitted better with the uchiha chakra, something within it seemed to be missing, a missing part that would destroy the sharing an in order to defend the body system… And this conclusion didn't seemed right at all.

And beside that, it was very weird that no medical register talked about the sharing an, it was like it wasn't something that medicin could help, when actually the overall scenary seemed a lot simple, something that any medc-nin could fix. Whatever kept them from doing it was probably registered on the uchiha's library and Sakura was going to find it because she had no intention to fail on this.

_Sakura-chan!- Naruto greeted her cheerfully, it was already sunset, Sakura had spent the whole day on the hospital, not even noticed the time passing.

_Hi Naruto.- She answered with a tired smile, but a sincere one.

_You wanna eat ramen? It has been so long since we've hanged together…- Naruto trailed off, he missed his friend, but couldn't talk to her freely anymore, she had changed.

Sakura considered saying no, she had to go to the Uchiha district check the library, and wasn't sure if she still could act friendly towards Naruto, of course she still loved him and missed their friendship, but she had hardened her heart so much since the last time she saw him, that now she wasn't sure about how to befriend someone anymore.

_I think it's okay. Let's go.- She finally said, there were no place to silly worries in her life anymore, and Naruto would always be Naruto no matter how much the world changed, and she was damn hungry.

_Oji-san! Two big bowls of Ramen, please!- Screamed Naruto as soon as they got to Ichiracu.

_Hai! Hai!-answered the smiling man.

They ate in silence, Naruto seemed to want to talk, he gave Sakura long and anxious looks that she made sure to ignore. She couldn't help but to feel uncomfortable next to him, he was still so much naïve, so much like he was back in the team seven, that she felt almost dirty to have changed so much, unworthy of being by his side.

After she finished, she placed the money at the table and stood.

_Sakura-chan! Wait! Are you leaving already?- Asked a disappointed Naruto.

_I'm sorry Naruto… I have some things to do.- Sakura trailed off.

_You're going to see Itachi.- It wasn't a question, and his blue eyes seemed dull.

Sakura felt somewhat annoyed, he seemed to take her relationship with the Uchiha as something personal, even knowing that she was following strict orders from Tsunade, she could understand that he felt confused since he didn't knew the whole story, but he was old enough to understand that the village's business were always more important than their personal lives, an it included even their relationship with Sasuke.

_I'm working as the link between Konoha and the Akatsuki, so it's unavoidable that I work close to them.- She answered with a inexpressive voice.

The blond seemed sad, but the kunnoichi didn't gave him the chance to say anything else and vanished in a blur of sakura blossoms.

The pink-haired girl appeared in front of the Uchiha's main house, the door was slightly open and she entered. Itachi wasn't at the living room this time, she found a single note and a chakra bracelet laying on the table instead. She picked up the note:

"Feel free to use the library, put the bracelet on and it will guide you to there and give access."

It wasn't signed but was obvious that Itachi had left it there for her. Sakura felt a bit relieved to know that he wouldn't be there with her, she felt very uncomfortable with him around, and she needed full concentration to do her research properly. With caution she put the bracelet on her right arm, it was very loose on her wrist and would be very easy to pull out, thankfully.

As soon as the cold silver came in contact with her skin she felt the chakra in it pulsing, and a tender red glow appeared on it, one single string of light pointed to a the meeting room though. Sakura breathed deeply and followed the tiny bit of light.

It led her to a hidden staircase beneath the meeting room's floor, she climbed down the stairs until she found herself in front of a big wooden door which seemed embed with a powerful jutsu of concealment, and was only visible to her because of the faint glow of the Uchiha chakra. "No wonder nobody ever found the uchiha's private library…" Sakura thought frowning a little, that place gave her chills.

With cautious she reached out and touched the door with her right hand, the bracelet glow became stronger and them vanished completely, the door opened. Sakura stepped in the library, her breath caught in her throat with the splendid view, thousands of scrolls hanging on the walls, many form other countries, many written in long forgotten languages, many much older than any document she had ever put her hands on.

Trying to control her excitement she started looking around, searching for anything that seemed like a medical register or that was related with the sharingan nature. She found much more than she expected, but as she read the scrolls she found nothing useful, nothing more than what she already knew.

The only thing she found to be useful, was a very old scroll that was probably written even before konoha's foundation, it explained the nature of the sharingan and all the damages caused by it, but also explained the incompleteness of it, according to the scroll the sharingan would only work properly once the user were able to complete it, and to do so it was needed to absorb the eyes of another sharingan user to neutralize the destructive effects of it.

"this explain why Itachi let sasuke alive… He planned on to absorb his eyes all the time… But now that Sasuke's body had been tainted by Orochimaru's seal…" Sakura felt dizzy by all this information, now that she new the real reason for Itachi letting his younger brother live, she was disappointed, deep down she hoped that he had done it out of love or kindness, even knowing that such things don't really exist in the shin obi world.

_The truth is harsh isn't it?- The voice came form behind her, Sakura didn't had to turn to know who it was.

_What are you doing here? What you want with me?- Said the kunnoichi turning around to face the old woman.

_I'm here to help you, I want you to do what I couldn't.- As the woman talked she walked towards Sakura.- You're the only one who can do it, the only one who can break the curse…

_Curse? The uchiha's curse? You think I can fix the sharingan? How? Why me?- Sakura's voice didn't let out any of the turmoil she felt inside.

_You're making the wrong questions… You don't have to know why you, you just have to know it is you, your destiny have already been traced, you'll raise back the cursed blood from the ashes and you'll be the one to save them, the ones who already lives and the ones who are still to come. You can't run…- The woman was now very close to the kunnoichi, that couldn't hide her discomfort anymore.

Before Sakura could do anything the old lady grabbed her right arm, getting a hold of the bracelet, she let her purple chakra flow into it, and the kunnoichi felt the silver tightening around her wrist.

_What are you doing?- Sakura couldn't hide the panic in her voice.

The old lady smiled faintly, and before the girl could do anything to stop her, she disappeared, leaving just a white book laying at Sakura's feet.

Still trembling a bit the kunnoichi picked up the book, for some reason she felt that she would find all the answers she needed inside that book. But she would read it at home, that library gave her chills, she couldn't stand being there anymore.

At home Sakura placed the book on the table, it was past midnight already, she should go to sleep, but she was all too curious about the mysterious book to do it. Sighing she headed to the kitchen, if she planned to stay up the whole night she'd need some coffee. When she was finally done, she sat on the table and picked the book up again, for a long moment she just stared at the cover and wondered. Why would that woman be there, who exactly was she? And whay wasn't Itachi there… Well that question was pretty much obvious, he probably had some work to do, with the other's Akatsuki, it wasn't like she had to be present in everything they did…

Sighing again she looked to the bracelet, it was very tight now, she couldn't pull it off anymore, it seemed it had been made directly on her wrist, the only way to take it off was probably breaking it, what was a pity indeed, the bracelet was very beautiful, now that she had the time to look at it, she could see the small symbols carved on it, it seemed like an old inscription in a old language… She would worry about it later… Now she had to worry about the book.

With trembling fingers she opened the white book, Sakura could never understand if she trembled of fear or excitement in that moment, it was probably both.

The book was actually a journal, the journal of a woman named Lucy, the journal began with her telling about her training to become a medic-nin and the first time she met the man she'd love, a man named Madara, Uchiha Madara. Lucy told everything about Konoha's foundation, about her marriage with Madara, the fight with the Senju clan and about the sharingan curse.

Lucy started to look for an alternative cure, because Madara wasn't willing to kill any of his companions to take his eyes… Even if his own brother offered him his eyes. After many times Lucy thought she had found the answer, and she wrote down on her journal everything she planned to do to save her beloved husband, it was a very dangerous technique which involved using life force instead of chakra itself, it reminded Sakura of the resurrection jutsu developed by the Suna. But after she described the jutsu, all the pages of the book were blank.

The Kunnoichi placed the book back on the table, it wasn't hard to her to deduce what happened to the woman, the technique she planned on using was very unstable, and the results of a failure would probably be the user's death. What bothered the pink-haired ninja was why that old lady would hae such thing, why she'd have Lucy's journal… Unless… Unless she were Lucy, but if it were true, then that woman should have been dead, even if she hadn't died due to the jutsu, Madara had lived in too remote time for his wife be still alive…

"That's all that a needed now… I've been talking to a ghost! I wonder if my life can get anymore complicated."- The inner Sakura growled inside of her.


	8. Chapter 8

Sakura was shaken off her thoughts by a bird bickering her window. It was morning already, she had spent the whole night reading the journal, and now she didn't have the time to sleep anymore. "All that's just great". She thought angrily.

She stood up and opened the window to let the bird enter, it was beautiful black falcon, it wasn't a bird used by the villager, konoha's messenger birds were usually eagles. The falcon reached its leg so Sakura could take the tiny bit of paper wrapped on it. As soon as the girl took the message the bird flied away.

"_We'll leave in an hour, meet us at the main gate, bring your cloak"_

The note was very short and wasn't signed, but it was obvious it was from Itachi, Sakura wondered where they were going, it probably had something to do with the Orochimaru, but she couldn't believe that he was actually thinking about leading the attack now, they almost didn't had any time to prepare… But still, it was Itachi she was talking about, if anyone was capable of planning something as big as that in a couple of days this person was the Uchiha heir.

Sakura stood up and headed to the bathroom. Before anything she needed a bath. She let the water stream down her body, feeling the warmth and trying not to think about all the things she had learned, and all the work she would have from that point on. If the jutsu left by Lucy was actually the only way to cure the Uchiha's eyes, then she'd certainly have many problems to accomplish it, risking her life in something like that would be unavoidable, and she had no intention to kill herself to give back Itachi's vision, but also she didn't want to abandon the project, even the idea of failing in her duty made her feel weak.

Since she was thirteen she gave up on nothing on her life, nothing as hard as it seemed, and now she didn't want to gave up on this, if she were actually able to cure the sharingan curse, she'd be the shinobi's world most famous medic, she had no intention to relinquish that. Right now the chances of success were only of fifty per cent, if she made some research, maybe try and combine Lucy's technique with the suna's, she'd be able to raise the chances, and then she'd be able to do it for sure…

Sakura left the bathroom and got dressed as fast as she could, when she was finally dressed she made some easy hand seals and summoned a beautiful white fenix. It had been almost two years since she made the contract with the fenixes, and the bird had become her most loyal partner.

_Sakura-sama, did you called?- The magnificent bird talked with a musical female voice.

_Yes Circe, I need your help.- The kunnoichi said while she wrote a note in a small piece of paper.- I need you to take it to the Suna, hand it to Kadamus, his the medic in charge of the hospital there, he'll give you a book, I want you to find me afterwards and hand it to me, ok?- Said the girl, wrapping the piece of paper on the bird's leg.

_As you wish my lady, but where will you be?- Asked Circe.

_I don't know… You'll have to track me down, you can do it right?

_Sure, it may take some time, but I'll try my best.

_Thank you Circe.

_You're welcome my Lady… Oh! What a beautiful bracelet! Was it a gift?- Asked the bird starring amazed at the bracelet on the girls right wrist.

Sakura almost cursed, she had almost forgotten about the god damned bracelet.

_It's more like an accident.- Hissed the kunnoichi, the bird gave her a bemused look.- Now go Circe, please.

As soon as the bird flied away Sakura put on the Akatsuki cloak, not without feeling a bit weird for doing so. She made some hand seals and tried to break the bracellet, nothing happened, she tried again and still she got no results. Cursing under her breathy she grabbed her weapons, all the medical equipment she might need, some changes of clothes and headed out. Her only option now was to ask Itachi to take that thing off her wrist, he was the one who embed the thing with chakra at first so he'd know how to take it off.

Sakura was almost at her door when she remembered the journal. She got back to the table and gazed the white cover for some time, she considered leaving it behind, but in a whim she decided to bring it along and putted it into the bag.

When she finally got to the gates, Itachi was already there, alone, he was facing the village's exit and didn't turn when Sakura got near. As soon as she approached him she gasped, the bracelet irradiated a warmth through her skin and glowed with vivid crimson light, the Uchiha chakra was reacting to his presence. Itachi turned and gazed at her, his brows furrowed and then two cloaked figures appeared next to them, it was Kakuzu and Hidan. Sakura hid the bracelet under the cloak's sleeve.

_Heh! You look fucking hot with this fucking cloak, Sakura.- Shouted Hiddan as soon as he arrived.

_I don't remember asking for your opinion.- Hissed Sakura, looking dangerously at him.

Hidan opened his mouth to say more, but he was silenced by a sharp glare from both Itachi and Kakuzu. With no other word the four shinnobi headed out, jumping along the trees as fast as they could go.

Sakura was obviously annoyed, she hated when men would start making this kind of comment about her, she felt like a piece of meat or something… And what bothered her even more was that she actually liked her appearance while wearing the damn cloak, it made her feel more powerful, more dangerous. And having someone else stating it made her feel angry about herself.

They traveled in silence, nobody asked where they were headed, either because Sakura was the only one who didn't knew it, or because the other two didn't want to angry their leader by asking.

They were headind to the south, which meant they were going to the earth country, or maybe the grass country… Sakura remembered hearing that some sound ninjas were seeing lurking around the east side of the grass country, it was a possibility they were heading there… Maybe Orochimaru had a hidden base in the area… The Anbu had being investigating it some time ago, but had found nothing, but it was obvious the Akatsuki seemed to have other information, how they acquired it the Pink-haired kunnoichi had no idea.

Soon enough the silence of their journey was broken by Hidan's loud complains, he didn't like that country, it was too hot, and the cloak was killing him, also it had been a lot of time since he killed someone and Jashin would be angry with him if he didn't kill soon…

_Oi! Itachi let me fucking kill the fucking small tit kunnoichi here! I need to kill someone!- Shouted the gray haired man.

Sakura greeted her teeth at that. "Small tit??" It was true her breasts weren't as big as Tsunade's or Ino's, but he certainly has nothing to do with it! The kunnoichi was about to tell him to shut up, but Kakuzu beat her to it.

_Shut up Hidan! You're noisy! I'll kill you if you continue to annoy me!- Hissed him glaring at his companion.

_As if you fucking could kill me!- Hidan snorted.

And soon the two of them were arguing about Hidan's immortality, Kakuzu's death threats to him and a bunch of nonsense that Sakura didn't bother to pay attention to. She remembered some other arguing teammates instead, back them things were pretty much the same, one would be noisy, the other would snap at him and they would argue all the way to their final destination, of course the argument involved much less cursing back them, and the threats weren't for real, now she wouldn't be surprised if Hidan wind up with his head being ripped off.

Another crucial difference between the situations was herself, when she was twelve she'd most likely enjoy watching her two teammates bickering at each other and giggle at them while she cheered for one of them. Now she was very displeased at those two noise, both because it was giving her a headache and because she didn't like anything childish anymore, she had become too much of a cold hearted woman to actually enjoy something as carefree as two old friends having a silly argument.

The group's leader seemed to enjoy the whole ordeal as much as she did. Sakura rushed forward as to be running side by side with the Uchiha. Itachi glanced at her, she kept looking a head and said nothing, he kept quiet too, but couldn't help but wonder… He had figured that she was annoyed by the silly bickering between the other two, but still placing herself by his side wasn't something he expected her to do, actually he was half expecting her to start shouting at them to be quiet. What he expected even less to happen was he to let her stay there, he usually didn't allow his partners to be side by side with him, he didn't like it, but he wasn't bothered by the girl's presence, and that made he wondered why.

Her personality was very alike his own, and a lot unusual to be found in a Konoha's shinnobi, which were usually cheerful or at least friendly at their comrades. The pink haired girl on the other side seemed to keep people at a distance. Maybe this was why he indulged her presence, she wasn't really trying to be friendly or anything, she didn't wanted to start a chat or to please him as his fellow Akatsuki usually did, she was just there because she didn't want to walk next the other two, and he was fine with it.

They walked during the whole day, with no pause to lunch or anything, nobody seemed to care though. When the night came and it started to be troublesome for the non-sharing an users to see, Itachi decided to stop. They found a clearing and jumped down to it. Nobody bothered to prepare dinner or anything, kakuzu mumbled that he'd take the first watch shift, and Hidan, thrower himself on the ground complaining about the discomfort and was asleep soon enough, loudly asleep actually, it seemed that the gray haired nin could do nothing without a good deal of noise.

Sakura and Itachi both sat leaning against a tree across from each other, the dark haired shinnobi closed his eyes, but it was obvious he wasn't sleeping, the kunnoichi gazed at the stars through the tree's leaves, she was tired, but didn't felt like sleeping so soon. Soon she found her fingers stroking the warm silver around her wrist, she had almost forgotten about it, the warmth it gave out made her feel good, and she wondered why…

_Itachi…- She called out to him, her eyes now focused on the man's face. For a moment she wondered when she called him just by his first name? Actually, now that thought about it she rarely said his name at all, not while talking to him anyway, she usually just spoke to him when he spoke to her first. He didn't seemed to mind her talking to him so casually though.

The sharingan user opened his eyes, the crimson staring intently at the green, while he awaited her to continue.

_Who is that old lady?- The kunnoichi was certain that he'd know who she was talking about.

_Why do you wanna know?- He asked back.

_She came to me again while I was in the library. She gave me something that might help me to find a definitive cure for your eyes. She gave me Lucy's journal, Madara's wife Journal. She had developed a jutsu to cure her husband's eyes.- Sakura explained.

_She never succeeded.- The Uchiha stated matter of factly.

_I know… I mean… Judging by the technique she described the chances of her doing it were very low, and the risks of her dieing in the process were high, but her calculations weren't all wrong, actually the jutsu were just right. The thing is that it's too unstable. I think I can combine it with a technique from Suna and raise the success chances…- The medic explained.

Itachi just nodded, he was relieved that the girl hadn't simply considered healing his eyes a impossible task after knowing what happened to Lucy while trying to do the same thing. But also he couldn't imagine why she hadn't gave up yet, for it was plain that even if she raised the jutsu stability she'd still be risking her life by doing it, and even knowing that she was a medic of great fame and probably with a high pride, he still couldn't believe someone was actually risking themselves to help him.

_And… The bracelet…- Sakura added hesitantly.- The woman… She tightened it around my wrist, I can't pull it off, and the jutsu's aren't working either…- The kunnoichi said feeling a bit silly to ask for help over something apparently so simple.

Itachi stared at the glowing bracelet around her wrist. It was once used by his clan to keep prisoners from running away, or to guide someone to a some place, as he had done to Sakura to find the library. The bracelet couldn't be broken by anyone besides the one who made it, and would always react to the creator's presence, allowing the person using it to know when the other were nearby, and also it would allow the creator to always find the one wearing it. He could brake the bracelet and take it off the girls wrist, but for some reason he didn't felt like it.

Itachi hadn't a clue about why the mysterious woman would want to bind Sakura to him, but also knew she had a reason for it. That woman had appeared for him just once in his life, on the night he killed his clan, and in that night he knew she was a dead person, and also that he should trust her… Yes… He didn't want to brake that bracelet. It belonged where it was, and in addition it looked beautiful against the girls skin…

_The bracelet can't be broken.- He said before closing his eyes again.

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